I
have been doing a lot of thinking about service dog things recently.
One of the things that keeps crossing my mind, is what will happen when
it comes time for me to get a successor dog, when it is time for Ember
to retire. I'm at a loss.
When we were in Minnesota, and had access to Can Do Canines,
it was pretty certain how I'd come by a successor dog, and that was
years in the future, having the help and support of their amazing and
knowledgeable staff and network, as well as having an amazing network of
dog training and canine behavior people around me in Rochester. Even if
I trained my own dog again like I did with Ember, I had the right
mixture of professionals surrounding me with their awesomeness to help
along the way.
Being back in New Orleans after being gone 8 years, I don't
have a clue who is still here and who is reputable in the dog training
and behavior field locally. I also have no idea what assistance dog
organizations are around local. It doesn't seem like there are any
remotely like Can Do Canines, and I am not sure if I trust the...
largeness... of some of the organizations that say they offer placement
nationwide or can help get a field trainer close to you. Because such
places normally have an outrageous waiting list for dogs. To go through
the whole crazy process of applying, and then waiting, all over again.
It could take another year or two. I am not even certain where I will be
then. We sure didn't expect to have to leave Minnesota, but doing so
changes everything.
---
Bigger Is Better
If I choose
to train my own service dog again, I have to go about finding the right
dog. I need a larger, stronger dog for mobility assistance. I love Ember
to death. She is the most amazing, smart, crazy Golden Aussie mix I
could ever ask for. She has a great personality and her work ethic knows
no bounds. But because she is a medium sized dog and petite, she is
limited in what she can do for me without risk of injury.
We work well together as a team, but there are some things I
am finding I need help with now, or know in the future I will need, that
she cannot do. Up until now we have been able to find... creative...
ways around it, modifying things and improvising a lot. We manage, but
sometimes it takes a lot out of both of us. The older she gets, the
more difficult it will become.
There are certain breeds or mixes I have considered.
Overall I would be most inclined toward a working line German Shepherd,
or a German Shepherd mix that had more of the GSD characteristics. I'd
also consider a Rottweiler for many different reasons. Golden Retriever
would be another option. As much as I love Labrador Retrievers because
of all the awesome labs I know, I don't feel that I would want one as my
next service dog. Not a pure bred anyway. They are overbred and
sometimes overpriced here because of popularity with hunting. I would
probably lean more toward a Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever mix.
I'm normally more inclined toward mixes simply because they tend to be
less prone to health issues in the long run. I'd have to find a dog that
wouldn't risk developing hip dysplasia and other such issues, so OFA
checks on hips, elbows, and knees would be a must.
---
Puppy or Adult?
Which is where the next difficult decision comes in. Do I get a
puppy or very young dog, or do I get a dog at least a year old? Do I
find a good breeder and hope they'll work something out with me so I
don't have to pay an insane amount? Or do I go through the local rescues
and hope I can find a dog that doesn't have any existing behavior
concerns and hasn't come from a situation of neglect or abuse? Either
way, there are pros and cons to both.
Getting a puppy
or very young dog, I have the ability to start training as soon as I get
the animal, and better chances of shaping desired behaviors and proper
socialization, and exposing the dog to all sorts of different situations
and stimuli so they would be comfortable in all environments, and have
the general sort of demeanor needed in a service dog. Getting a dog at
least a year old means I may have to reshape undesired behaviors like I
did with Ember, but I have a better idea of how large the dog would be
and if it would be able to meet my needs. Either way, have to wait for
the growth plates to settle before doing direct weight bracing.
Normally I wouldn't even give looking at the local shelters
and rescues a second thought. If the dog I intended to get was strictly
going to be a pet dog, and I didn't have to worry about public access
issues. In fact, that's normally what I try and encourage others to do.
But the dog I would need to find is one with very specific behavior
criteria and stable background.
The benefit of getting a puppy or yearling from a breeder or
from a private owner is that theoretically they would know the entire
life history of that dog, and the parents, and underlying health risks,
etc to a certain extent. Whereas getting a puppy or yearling from the
shelter or rescues, it is possible that there would be no known history
on where the dog came from, or what kind of treatment it had experienced
to that point in life, unless it was born at the shelter.
Many assistance dog organizations will try and find good candidates
for training from the local shelters and rescues, but coming from that
environment it is hard to find a dog that can make it through the
training. Most dogs flunk out for one reason or another, and have to be
'career changed' because they wouldn't make a good assistance dog. Which
is a reason why many assistance dog organizations have started their
own in-house breeding programs, selecting dogs with certain key traits
to produce sound puppies with those same traits.
---
Time To Decide
Sure, certain
things can be overcome with a lot of work and dedication. Ember had
plenty of quirks when we first got her, and we had to work through them
simply as pet dog owners. It was even more important when we started
training for service work. By then she was about 3yrs old. She will be 6
years old at the beginning of 2014. For her breed type and size,
average life expectancy is around 11 years. Obviously I hope she will be
with us far longer, but by then she likely will not be able to work
anymore. There is also the issue of her twisted toe that will likely
effect her ability to work.
It could take at least two years, maybe more, to train a new dog for
service work. That comes after all of the general obedience and advanced
obedience skills are learned and proven.
The other
thing to consider is getting funding for expenses related to acquiring a
successor dog. From the adoption fee/purchase of the dog if I can find
one locally, to beginning veterinary expenses with vaccinations,
heartworm treatment and flea/tick prevention, OFA xrays needed to ensure
the dog is physically sound just as we did with Ember, costs for
obedience training classes ( exposure to other dogs and people in these
classes being the key benefit ) and costs for general supplies that will
be needed. The flipside is if I am able to find an organization who can
provide a dog, I likely will still have to pay many of these expenses,
and pay for hotel and travel expenses to their facilities, or travel out
of state for acquiring the dog, from breeder, rescue, or organization.
These
expenses would be out of my pocket, but are a necessity either way I
look at it. The only factor is how long it will be before I need the
money. A friend of mine told me I should start now to be safe. Start
some sort of donation campaign or something like the service dog
organizations do, to help raise the money. Since I am unemployed and
limited in my ability to work, and looking to apply for disability
assistance, I'd have to find some way to get financial support.
With all of these things in consideration,
should I start looking for a successor dog candidate option now? I
almost feel guilty thinking about a successor dog because Ember is my
first service dog. It's not something I am trying to rush in to. As
evident by me typing all this, I have been giving it a lot of thought.
I still have a lot to think about.
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